Guest post from Nadine Dorries, on losing her hair: "it's the last taboo"

[KateMumsnet]

The Conservative MP Nadine Dorries recently discovered that she was losing her hair.

In today's guest post, she describes her feelings of shame at the discovery, and argues that, despite being remarkably common, female baldness is the last taboo.

Read her blog, and let us know what you think. Is this something that has happened to you, or to someone you know? Why is it something that we find so hard to talk about? Share your thoughts on the thread, and if you blog about it, don't forget to post your URL.






"You might notice that your hair brush has more hair on it than usual and you are cleaning it out more often; or maybe when you change your bedding, there is a deposit of hair on your pillow. For some, it happens in the shower, and when you switch the shower off, you lift away the lace veil of hair which is left on your skin.

That had been happening for a while. Not dramatically, but enough to make me pop into a health food shop and buy a bucketful of iron and vitamin supplements with the thought 'that'll sort it' running through my mind.

And then I saw the undisputable evidence that I was no longer just losing my hair, I was going bald.

It was during an ITV News interview with Tom Bradbury and the camera took a shot of the back of my head. And there it was. The size of a 50p. My very own bald patch.

I was immediately swamped with shame, and I cannot explain why.

My daughter took out her iPhone and photographed the back of my head so that I could see the damage for myself - and within minutes I was in tears.

I work in an aggressive male dominated environment, possibly one of the most aggressive in the world. My daughters and I have faced down problems which would have floored Tyson. We are fighters because we had to be - and here was I, the matriarch of my very pragmatic household of three very feminist daughters, crying over my hair.

Why had I been in denial for so long? The photographs revealed that this hadn't happened overnight. My poor daughters had noticed and discussed it amongst themselves - but not with me, because they didn't want to upset me.

And that's it in a nutshell, because there isn't anything we four don't discuss. Female hair loss is the last taboo.

It is important to make the definition here between hair loss due to chemotherapy, which grows back in most cases and female pattern hair loss and alopecia, which in some cases never does.

I am suffering from female pattern hair loss, which is not unlike male pattern baldness. My hair is receding, and at the front and back is now so thin I cannot go out in the sun without a hat; you can see my scalp through my hair, as the picture shows. In addition to this, I suffered a recent dose of stress alopecia, the type which often occurs three months after giving birth and does usually grow back.

I looked a bit deeper into the facts of female hair loss and discovered that, whereas 70% of men suffer hair loss, a massive 40% of women are also affected. But who would know? We never discuss it.

I wrote for a national paper and spoke on the Jeremy Vine show and since then have been inundated with letters and emails from women who have lived through their own dark days of losing their hair with little help.

There is help available, but unfortunately, not a great deal on the NHS. I am being treated by a Harley St trichologist with Dermal HL. It comes highly recommended and has a good track record of effectiveness - but it's only available privately.

No one will be keener than me to see if this treatment works, and I am very fortunate. But I feel it is now my responsibility to campaign for more to be available on the NHS.

It's pointless for GPs to pay for repeated referrals to NHS dermatologists who have no treatment available, and in many cases for anti-depressants to deal with the consequences of female hair loss. For some women, and men, there is alternative help available. GP commissioning groups should consider taking a more innovative and bolder approach, especially in the case of very young women, to purchasing alternative therapies which can help - and that is something I will be working towards.

The proof or not of my treatment will be available to see in a few months. Fingers crossed."

[PavlovtheCat]

AF - I know. You are right. Ignore my meanness, I am a big grumpy this week.

[AnyFucker]

PTC ?

[LeGavrOrf]

I don't like her politics at all, and disagree with her on many things, but I think it is a good idea to highlight female hair loss. A relative had alopecia in the 80s, and it was utterly devastating to her, her strongest emotion was humiliation and shame. I hope that some treatments are made available on the NHS if and when possible.

[AnyFucker]

Orf have we ever disagreed about anything ? I am sure we must have, perhaps back in 2009 or summat ?

[nenevomito]

I have been losing my hair for ages now. I hate seeing my head under bright lights as you can see my scalp reflected.

Its a wee bit depressing.

[AnyFucker]

No matter who you are and what you stand for, losing your hair must be devastating

Nadine is an attractive woman, and our hair is very much tied up in how we feel about ourselves. I don't care that sometimes she gets my back up, giving someone a kick when they are down is mean.

[lynniep]

I have no idea why she was 'swamped with shame' or why she is stating its the 'last taboo' However if thats how she feels, thats how she feels.

I personally am not ashamed of my hair loss (alopecia areata). Its not my fault its falling out. Nor do I feel its taboo. I have told my friends openly whats happening.

Thats not to say I'm not completely gutted - I have always have lovely hair - very thick and dark only the odd white hair sprouting now and again (although the slight bits of stubble that have grown in front don't look as dark -arrgh!) and now I hate washing it due to the handfuls that I lose.
I also shed all over the house which is pretty unpleasant for my family. I do disguise the smaller areas with fibres - not because I'm ashamed - but because it looks terrible and I am self concious about it. Theres nothing I can do about the larger patch which is entirely hairless, other than to hope its not going to be windy...

I do agree thought that there is minimal help on the NHS. My GP gave me some steroid cream which is disgusting and greasy and which I did not want to apply every day. I am in the fortunate position of having BUPA access through my DH's work, and was prescribed dermovate by the private doctor (who was pretty useless otherwise I have to say - my GP was way more understanding) which is a lotion - and far less hideous to use. (Dermovate) I'm not sure why this was not prescribed at the GP (and I'm not sure if its working either) but I'm going to ask next time I go if its simply not on their 'list' of allowed treatments.

I'd also like to see suggestions of alternative therapies like accupuncture - sadly I'm not covered for this even on private and can't afford it without. I was also offered steroid injections by the private doctor if matters don't improve - this is certainly not an option on the NHS.

I really struggle to understand why some treatments are witheld. Its seen as cosmetic - yes - but then breast implants and tummy tucks are available on the NHS.

[PavlovtheCat]

thanks! My hair thinning is made ultra worse by my increasing white hairs which make them look even thinner and sparce. It is crap. But, it's not life threatening, or life changing if I don't want it to be, so I won't let it. It's just how I am. I keep my hair short and style forward to compensate/minimise it.

[LeGavrOrf]

we must have disagreed with each other about something. Perhaps jam or cream first on scones, or something.

[AnyFucker]

Ah, yes. That could be it !

[LeGavrOrf]

It is a shame that treatments are not available,or hard to access.

I suppose treating acne could be seen as cosmetic, yet there has been a lot of progress in treating that in recent years (I remember my brother having to jump through hoops to be taken seriously about his terrible acne for years before he was referred to a dermatologist). Hopefully the same improvements could be made in alopecia treatment.

[lauradrift19791115]

Actually, there's one way to "prevent" hair loss. Nizoral Shampoo is a scientifically proven solution to prevent hair loss because it lowers DHT levels. Not sure if I can post the website, but there are some good articles and information talking about hair loss worth reading at nizoralshop.com (in the news section).

[talent]

I am wondering if anyone has bought Minoxidil online? Can you point me in the wrong direction. I imagined it would be a pill but can only see topical Minoxidil? I don't think my GP will give me a prescription for this as my hair loss does not look too bad although losing a lot in the bath after washing my hair and my Mum is very thin on top. I am concerned I will go the same way. About to start HRT which may help? Does anyone know if there is a particular HRT that is good for hair loss? Thats not the reason I am going on it but hoping it might with hair loss too. Thanks

[talent]

or even right direction!